Nizhyn (air base)

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Nizhyn
IATA: - ICAO:
Summary
Airport type		military
Operator		Ukrainian Air Force
Serves		Nizhyn
Elevation AMSL		440 ft (134 m)
Coordinates		51°6′0″N, 031°52′0″E
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
	9842	3000	Concrete

Nizhyn is a naval air base in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine located 4 km north of Nizhyn, and operated by the Soviet Navy. It is a medium-sized bomber base with modern design, and is being used to mothball some of Ukraine's older bombers. The airfield has 33 large revetments along curved taxiway.

During 1964-67 the base began converting to the Tupolev Tu-22R (Blinder) and by 1967 it had 24 Tu-22s based here ^[1]. The reconnaissance variants were tasked with operations in western Europe. In July 1969 two Tu-22 aircraft collided in mid-air; the crew ejected and the plane flew on unpiloted for 52 minutes, threatening the city of Nezhin before crashing 0.5 km from the city's railway station ^[1]. In November 1988 three Tu-22R were deployed to Mozdok to fight in Afghanistan, but returned home a week later without seeing any combat ^[1]. Some Tu-22s were sent here for disposal, probably in the 1990s ^[1].

Units stationed at Nizhyn include:

• 199 ODRAP (199th Independent Long-Range Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment) flying Tu-22R from 1964 to the 1990s ^{[2] [3]}, and the Tu-22RDK, Tu-22K, and Tu-22UD as of 1991 ^[2].

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